2013 was the first year since 2010 that my tally of new Marilyns reached double figures. In 2011, I was preoccupied with a scheme to undertake at least one ten-hour plus walk each month and write a poem at a summit en route. In 2012, it was a poem at the summit of one Munro in each of the seventeen sections. Both cycles have appeared or will appear in Munro Society anthologies. 2013 was consequently literary-free, probably much to the relief of anyone who has ever read my poetry.
The year got off to a good start with a twist to my usual attempted festive triptych. I saw in Christmas Day on Ben Vrackie (Corbett), New Year's Day atop The Cairnwell (Munro) and sauntered up Blath Bhalg (Graham) in atypical sunshine later the same day.
The bulk of the twelve new ones were on the Cape Wrath peninsula when the welly-wearing Mr Brian Ringland and I engaged in our usual pastime of taking radically different routes between summits, only partly due to his being able to wade inlets I chose to bypass by bridge. Lots of signs saying things like 'Do not touch the shiny metal fragments - they may blow up and kill you' to enliven the days as well. Kearvaig Bay, though, remains idyllic. I did take a leaf out of Brian's book later in the year though, using wellies to get across to Crammond Island in the Forth while the causeway was still under a foot of somewhat pungent water.
Pre-season, an early start saw Meikle Balloch Hill and Waughton Hill underfoot to complete region 21, with a few stone-circles and the like thrown-in en route to an embarrassing pre-season performance by Ross County at Peterhead. Still, only the grounds at Stranraer and Ibrox to visit to complete my Scottish league collection. No rush for the latter.
Some big walks to help younger bother (misspelling intentional) Garry towards his Munro completion - the Lawers horseshoe from Invervar (twelve hours), the Fisherfield Five Plus One from Incheril (23 hours) and An Socach and Mam Sodhail from Morvich (17 hours). The first two were in stifling heat; Affric would have been more bearable had that been the case. It will all be over soon enough.
I have started looking for station-to-station walks as well. Achnasheen to Achnashellach over Carn Mhartuin and Moruisg was terrific. The continuation from Achnashellach to Attadale via Craig was not. More in 2014 with any luck.
